Computer Hope
Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: Tom_47 on July 12, 2010, 08:54:11 PM
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Computer is an eMachines D3415
FIC Motherboard No. K8MC51G Version PCB 1.x
Phoenix Award BIOS Version 6.00PG Release NAA19EM
RAM 1-1024MB 400MHz DDR400 PC3200, 184p DIMM, 2.5v, Sync, CL=3
AMD Semprom processor 3400+ 2.01 GHz
Hard Drive Seagate Model ST3160021A Size 160.0 GB
Sound Device Realtek AC'97 Audio
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 6100
Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002 SP2
Running AVG 9.0 Free Antivirus software
The machine has two memory slots and will accomodate a maximum of 2GB according to eMachines documentation.
I recently purchased two 1GB RAM sticks of the above specification from Arch Memory guaranteed to work in this make and model computer to upgrade from the one 512MB stick that came with the system. With both new sticks installed, the machines freezes on boot with the monitor displaying thin vertical colored lines on a black background. I've made as certain as I can that both slots are free of dust and that both sticks are seated securely. Also, the machine boots and runs without any problem with just one stick installed. This is true of either stick installed in either slot. I have run Memtest-86 Version 3.5 on each stick separately (one complete pass) and found no errors.
The person at Arch Memory I talked to suggested updating the BIOS to see if that would solve the problem. There is one update available: NAA24EM. However, both eMachines and FIC (the motherboard maker) do not recommend flashing the BIOS due to the risks involved unless one is certain it will solve the problem. That is not the case at this time.
Also, the System Properties box in Windows XP shows 128MB less RAM than is installed. I assume this 128MB is allocated to MMIO.
What I would like to know is if the problem with booting the system with both RAM sticks installed is due to the BIOS needing the update, the MMIO allocation, a setting in CMOS, or something else?
Any help getting the 2GB working will be appreciated.
Below is more information on my system from "System Information for Windows" © Gabriel Topala:
MOTHERBOARD
Manufacturer First International Computer, Inc.
Model K8MC51G
Version PCB 1.x
Serial Number C565C40260
North Bridge NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Revision A2
South Bridge NVIDIA nForce 410/430 MCP Revision A2
CPU AMD Sempron(tm) Processor 3400+
Cpu Socket Socket 754
System Slots 2 PCI
Memory Summary
Maximum Capacity 8192 MBytes
Maximum Memory Module Size 4096 MBytes
Memory Slots 2
Error Correction None
Warning! Accuracy of DMI data cannot be guaranteed
---------------------------------------
BIOS
BIOS Vendor Phoenix Technologies, LTD
Serial Number CCA5-C
BIOS Version 6.00 PG
Firmware Version 111.101
BIOS Date 11/11/2005
BIOS Size 512 KB
BIOS Starting Segment E000h
DMI Version 2.3
Characteristics - supports ISA
- supports PCI
- supports Plug-and-Play
- supports APM
- upgradeable (Flash) BIOS
- allows BIOS shadowing
- supports booting from CD-ROM
- supports selectable boot
- BIOS ROM is socketed
- supports Enhanced Disk Drive specification
- supports INT 13 5.25-inch/360K floppy services
- supports INT 13 5.25-inch/1.2M floppy services
- supports INT 13 3.5-inch/720K floppy services
- supports INT 13 3.5-inch/2.88M floppy services
- supports INT 05 print-screen
- supports INT 09 and 8042 keyboard services
- supports INT 14 serial services
- supports INT 17 printer services
- supports INT 10 CGA/Mono video services
- supports ACPI
- supports legacy USB
- supports booting from LS-120
- supports booting from ATAPI ZIP drive
- BIOS Boot Specification supported
-------------------------------------
CPU
Number of Logical Processors 1
Number of Physical Processors 1
CPU #1 AMD Sempron 3400+
CPU Name AMD Sempron(tm) Processor 3400+
CPU Code Name Palermo
Vendor AuthenticAMD
Number of Bits 64
Instruction Set MMX (+), 3DNow! (+), SSE, SSE2, SSE3, x86-64, NX
Platform Name Socket 754
Revision DH-E6
Technology 90 nm
Original Clock 2000 MHz
Original System Clock 200 MHz
Original Multiplier 10.0
CPU Clock 2009 MHz
System Clock 200.9 MHz
HT Link 803.7 MHz
Number of Cores 1
Core #1
Speed 2009.4 MHz
Multiplier 10.0
Virtual Technology Supported No
Hyper Threading Supported No
Cache
L1 Data Cache 64 KBytes
L1 Instructions Cache 64 KBytes
L2 Cache 256 KBytes
-------------------------------
MEMORY
Maximum Capacity 8192 MBytes
Maximum Memory Module Size 4096 MBytes
Memory Slots 2
Error Correction None
DRAM Frequency 200.9 MHz
Memory Timings 3-3-3-8 (CL-RCD-RP-RAS)
Device Locator Slot 1
Capacity 1024 MBytes
Memory Type DDR (PC3200)
Speed 200 MHz
Supported Frequencies 133.3 MHz, 166.7 MHz, 200.0 MHz
Memory Timings 2-2-2-6-0 at 133.3 MHz, at 2.5 volts (CL-RCD-RP-RAS-RC)
Memory Timings 2-3-3-7-0 at 166.7 MHz, at 2.5 volts (CL-RCD-RP-RAS-RC)
Memory Timings 3-3-3-8-0 at 200.0 MHz, at 2.5 volts (CL-RCD-RP-RAS-RC)
Data Width 64 bits
EPP SPD Support No
XMP SPD Support No
----------------------------
STORAGE DEVICES
Disk 0
Manufacturer Seagate
Model ST3160021A
Size 160.0 GB
Firmware Version 8.01
Serial Number 5JS8EGJM
Interface Parallel ATA
Standard ATA/ATAPI-6 | ATA/ATAPI-6 T13 1410D version 2
Transfer Mode (Current / Max) Ultra DMA-100 / Ultra DMA-100
Features S.M.A.R.T., 48bit LBA
Temperature 39 C (102 F)
Drive Letter(s) C: D:
Controller Buffer Size on Drive 2048 KB
Removable No
Cache Enabled (Read / Write) Yes / Yes
SMART Support Yes
Attribute Name Attribute Value Worst Value Threshold Value Raw Data
Raw Read Error Rate (01) 064 052 006
000006ED4971
Spin Up Time (03) 096 096 000
000000000000
Start/Stop Count (04) 100 100 020
000000000039
Reallocated Sector Count (05) 100 100 036
000000000000
Seek Error Rate (07) 089 060 030
0000302F94FB
Power On Hours Count (09) 060 060 000
000000008A93
Spin Retry Count (0A) 100 100 097
000000000000
Power Cycle Count (0C) 100 100 020
0000000002D3
HDA Temperature (C2) 039 049 000
000000000027
ECC On The Fly Count (C3) 064 051 000
000006ED4971
Current pending sector count (C5) 100 100 000
000000000000
Off-line uncorrectable sector count (C6) 100 100 000
000000000000
Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate (C7) 200 200 000
000000000000
Multi Zone Error Rate (C8) 100 253 000
000000000000
Data Address Mark Errors (CA) 100 253 000
000000000000
Disk 1
Manufacturer Generic
Model Generic USB SD Reader USB Device
Firmware Version 1.00
Removable Yes
SMART Support No
Disk 2
Manufacturer Generic
Model Generic USB CF Reader USB Device
Firmware Version 1.01
Removable Yes
SMART Support No
Disk 3
Manufacturer Generic
Model Generic USB SM Reader USB Device
Firmware Version 1.02
Removable Yes
SMART Support No
Disk 4
Manufacturer Generic
Model Generic USB MS Reader USB Device
Firmware Version 1.03
Removable Yes
SMART Support No
DVD Writer 0
Manufacturer [unknown]
Model ATAPI iHAP322 8 (ATAPI iHAP322 8)
Firmware Version UL14
Interface Parallel ATA
Standard ATA8-ACS | ----
Transfer Mode (Current / Max) Ultra DMA-66 / Ultra DMA-66
Drive Letter(s) E:
Controller Buffer Size on Drive 2048 KB
Removable Yes
Capabilities
CD Reader CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW
CD Writer CD-R, CD-RW
DVD Reader DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM
DVD Writer DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM
SMART Support No
---------------------------
LOGICAL DISKS
Drive Drive Type Bus Type File System Total Size Used Space Free
Space % Free
C:\ Local Disk ATA NTFS 3.1 144.7 (GB) 38.9 (GB) 105.7 (GB)
73 %
D:\ (RECOVERY) Local Disk ATA FAT32 4399 (MB) 1618 (MB)
2781 (MB) 63 %
E:\ DVD ATAPI
F:\ Removable Disk USB
G:\ Removable Disk USB
H:\ Removable Disk USB
I:\ Removable Disk USB
---------------------------
SOUND DEVICES
Realtek AC'97 Audio
Name Realtek AC'97 Audio
Manufacturer Realtek
Device ID PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_026B&SUBSYS_60061509&REV_A2\3&2411E6FE&0&82
PnP Device Id PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_026B&SUBSYS_60061509&REV_A2\3&2411E6FE&0&82
---------------------------
VIDEO
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 6100
Code Name C51
Video Processor GeForce 6100
Technology 90 nm
Adapter DAC Type Integrated RAMDAC
PCI ID 0x10DE / 0x0242 (Nvidia Corp / GeForce 6100)
PCI sub ID 0x1509 / 0x6006 (First International Computer Inc)
Memory 256 MBytes
BIOS String Version 5.51.22.26.00
BIOS Date 10/25/05
PnP Device Id PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0242&SUBSYS_60061509&REV_A2\3&2411E6FE&0&28
Video Mode Description 1024 x 768 x 4294967296 colors
Driver Version 6.14.10.8133
Driver Date 2005-09-18 16:32:00
DirectX DirectX 9.0
Driver Name nv4_disp.dll
Driver Description NVIDIA GeForce 6100
Monitor Plug and Play Monitor
Model e15t4
Monitor ID EMA061C
Manufacturing Date 2005, Week 51
PnP Device Id DISPLAY\EMA061C\4&F46A33A&0&22446688&00&05
Input Analog Input Voltage - 0.700V/0.300V
Serial Number 35C 50H 07203
Display Size 14.9" (30 cm x 23 cm)
Horizontal Frequency 30-60 kHz
Vertical Frequency 56-76 Hz
Current Resolution 1024 x 768 @ 75Hz
Supported Resolution 1024 x 768 @ 75Hz - Aspect Ratio 4:3
EDID Version 1 revision 3
Max dot clock (video bandwidth) 80 MHz
DPMS Mode Support Active Off, Suspend, Standby
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Flashing the BIOS is always dangerous. But companies over stress on it. You have a 95% of a successful flash, so I'd say go for it. If it fails, it's not the end of the world. You can purchase a new motherboard for your computer for only ~$30. Or you could just buy it right away =P
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Flashing the BIOS is always dangerous. But companies over stress on it. You have a 95% of a successful flash, so I'd say go for it. If it fails, it's not the end of the world. You can purchase a new motherboard for your computer for only ~$30. Or you could just buy it right away =P
Given the danger of flashing the BIOS, I'd really like to keep that as my last option after having tried everything else first. Or am I already at the point where there is nothing else to try?
Thanks for the reply.
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Flashing the bios is NOT dangerous. Just do it.
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At this point I'm not sure that the BIOS is involved. Another attempt to boot with both sticks got as far as Windows loading. After the Windows Splash Screen but before the log-in screen the screen shown below popped up:
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_X3gwH1jD5Wg/TD6mOhUGqOI/AAAAAAAACMI/BNU8Vn0-6dE/IMG_0129.JPG)
The only new hardware installed before this STOP: 0x50 error is the RAM so removing it does allow the computer to boot but that is hardly a solution unless the RAM is bad. I understand that out-of-date drivers can also cause this error but I don't know why they would do so only when both RAM sticks are installed. I don't know what the other numbers in parenthesis mean or if they tell more specifically what is wrong.
Since the RAM seems to function under BIOS, I booted and ran MemTest-86 v3.5 from CD with both sticks installed and got the result below after one complete pass:
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_X3gwH1jD5Wg/TD-pfetlTjI/AAAAAAAACMk/4D2cDcrr7as/12_BothSticks1stPass.JPG)
I subsequently booted into MemTest with one stick installed to try to isolate the bad RAM. The tests and results were:
Stick 1 in slot 1 for 5 passes: No errors
Stick 2 in slot 1 for 3 passes: No errors
Stick 2 in slot 2 for 3 passes: No errors
It seems that both sticks work okay separately but for some reason not together. Yet both are the same type and speed of RAM and have identically marked chips on them.
If anyone can better interpret the results I've obtained so far, suggest further tests I can run or, better yet, offer an idea as to what is causing this problem, I would be very grateful.
Thanks in advance for any help from anyone.
Tom
P.S. I've attached a text file of the physical memory dump referred to in the first screen shot above in case anyone can and/or cares to wade through that stuff.
[recovering disk space - old attachment deleted by admin]
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Are the memory modules identical, right down to the chip count & the part numbers on the chips? You have a dual-channel motherboard, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual-channel
and if the modules are not a matched pair, it may be attempting to configure as dual-channel and failing. Try pairing your old 512MB with one new 1024MB.
http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=D3415
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Are the memory modules identical, right down to the chip count & the part numbers on the chips?
Yes, the memory modules are identical, right down to the chip count and the part numbers on the chips. I've gone over them with a magnifying glass to make sure of that.
Try pairing your old 512MB with one new 1024MB.
I'm running the machine right now with one new 1024MB and the original 512MB which are by different manufacturers and have different brands of chips with different numbers and it works great. The problem only appears with both new 1024MB modules. It's maddening.
Thanks anyway for the suggestions. I appreciate the help and am open to any other suggestions you or anyone else might have.
Tom
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whats the max amount of memory the motherboard supports?
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whats the max amount of memory the motherboard supports?
According to eMachines, 2GB.
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According to eMachines, 2GB.
One of my computers (not e-Machines) does the same thing. It's also uses DDR, dual-channel in 4 slots. Manufacturer says it supports 4GB, only sees 2.75GB; never got a satisfactory answer, never could figure out why.
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according to your test results, all your memory sticks are perfectly fine. make sure that the new ram has the same bus speeds as the original, and if they do then the only thing left to try is flashing the BIOS. if you don't feel comfortable doing it, you can take it to a professional.
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One of my computers (not e-Machines) does the same thing. It's also uses DDR, dual-channel in 4 slots. Manufacturer says it supports 4GB, only sees 2.75GB; never got a satisfactory answer, never could figure out why.
It seems that may be the case here also. I think I'm just going to leave it as it is as it's working really well (much faster than with 512MB alone) and return the one 1024MB module to Arch Memory for a refund.
Thanks to everyone who replied for your help.
Tom